Flexible shaft fabricating machine



Feb. 18, 1947. w. P. UHLER FLEXIBLE SHAFT FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Dec.22, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet -l lA r attorney Feb. 18, 1947.

w. P. UHLER FLEXIBLE SHAFT 'FABRICATING MACHINE 4 sheets-'sheet 2 a@ a ivFiled Dec. 22, 1944 attorney Feb. 18, 1947. w. P. UHLER A 2,416,076

FLEXIBLE SHAFT FBRICATING MACHINE V 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 22. 1944.h N@ k MQW Feb. 1s, 1947. w. P. UHLER. 2,416,076-v FLEXIBLE SHAFTFABRICATING MACHINE i Fild'DeG. 22, 1944 4 'Shee'tSV-Sheet 4 2,416,016FLEXIBLE SHAFT FABRICATING MACHINE wllme'r l, Uhler, Tottenville, N.Y.,- asslgnor to The S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Com-4 pany, acorporation of'Pennsylvania Application December z2, 1944, serial No.569,381

iz claims. l

My 'invention relates of flexible' shaft fabricating machines wherein aplurality of wire dispensing bobbins are so conveniently disposed thatwire may be drawn there-l particularly to that class (cl. s'z-lv) andwill remain 'as a hump on theshaft layer being ,wound and when the nextlayer is coiled thereon it can be readily appreciated that it may notpass through the core guide aperture in the from and directed to thewinding head which 5 winding nose, in which event it may jam and whenrotated causes them to .be coiledv about a possibly cause breakage, orif it does pass through core which is being progressed longitudinally(Vit will cause a. rough and irregular region which therethrough, and isespecially directed to an'ovel must later be rejected and result in aloss of a form of wire winding nose over which the layer considerablelength of shafting.- wires from the bobbins pass as they arehelically l0The principal objects of my invention are to laid upon the forwardlymoving core. provide a flexible shaft fabricating machine with In thefabrication of exible shafting many difa winding head having alongitudinally yielding flculties' have been encountered which have re-Wire laying nose, which for convenience of desuited in the production of4shafting having rescription may be termed a floating nose, and to glonsin its length that have such inequalities as prOvide yielding meanstending to force said nose to render those portions unfit for use. vforwardly against the layer wires being wound These inequalities havebeen due principally upon the core. I t to variations in the tension onthe core and to Other objects of my invention are to provide lvariations in the tension on the individual layer a flexible ShaftWinding head with a Winding nose wires being wound in coiled relationthereon, mounted in a longitudinally reciprocating carwhich variationsare -caused principally by lack rier', and to provide means arranged tolimit the of uniformity of friction of the spool supporting length ofsuch reciprocation in accordance with members both in the spools whichcontrol the the likely tensions of the core wire and the layerprogression of the core and the layer wires alike, Wires being laidthereon overy said nose. and to other friction incidental to the guidingFurther objects of my invention are to proof the wires to the point offabrication. Vide preloading means which conveniently in- Thesevariations in tension tend to cause varycludes a spring of .suchcompressibility as to ing forces which may either effect excessivemomaintain the Winding nose forced fOrWaldlY mentary back pressureagainst said winding nose against the progressing layer Wires inaccordance or may tend to cause the core `to momentarily With thepredetermined tension of the several forge forward so that the layerwires will not be layer Wires being Wound. uniformly controlled by thewinding angle of the ll/Iy invention includes wire guiding meanscomforward surface of the nose, but will be wound pri'sins carboloySurfaces which may preferably with open spaces between the coils of wire,thus include annular carboloy bushings mounted at wound on the core andthereby destroy the depredetermined Wire guiding regions, and whichsired uniformity of the layers of the shaft being afford -hardsubstantially non-Wearing guides fabricated, whereby the wires may beprogressed with but a In other words, the rate of advance of thelonminimum of substantially uniform friction. gitudinally progressedcore will be momentarily My invention further includes means foreffectmore rapid than the normal rate of advance 40 ing automaticstoppage of the machine ln event which is equal to the diameter of thewires being any one of the several wires be Ag drawn from laid in coiledrelation on the core per revolution. the wire dispensing bobbins or spooshould break On the other hand. if back tensions against or said bobbinsbecome depleted without being the longitudinally fixed nose become toogreatv noticed bythe operator. Y then one or more layer wires will notbe laid down The form of my invention as hereinafter more against thecore because of the high tension respecifically described comprises aflexible shaft quired to lay the wire down into place, it mayfabricating machine in which a plurality of layer then ride over theprevious turn or coil of wire l wire dispensing bobbins are coaxiallymounted for for a revolution or a part of a. revolution until therotation in a iiier frame on a hollow shaft and excessive tension isrelieved and it isagain perthe layer wires on said bobbins are ledthrough mitted to drop back into its normal position on suitablydisposed bushings to and throughV the the core. flier head and over thewinding nose to be coiled When this condition occurs, if the layerwireabout a. longitudinally progressedlcore. does not break it will be woundin raised condi- The winding head essentially includes means tion beyondthe diameter of the coils being laid for permitting the winding nose toreciprocate longitudinally to-a'ilmlted extent incidental to variationsin the tension -Iof the layer wires being directed thereby to be coiledon the core and further includes yielding means such as a spring tendingto force said winding nose forwardly against the layer wires passingthereover 'and tending to maintain a constant tension at the Q point offabrication with the core.

My invention also includes all. of the various L novel features ofconstruction and arrangement l as hereinafter more denitely speciiled.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view of a flexible shaft fabricating machine with certainparts 1 shown in side elevation for ,convenience of illustration andshowing but a fragment ofthe supporting table or base; Figure' 2 is-,atransverse vertical sectional view of the machine illustrated in Figure1,'taken on the line 2-2 in -said ligure: Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view showing the windinghead and its floating nose mechanism; Figure 4 is transverse verticalsectional view taken on the i line 4-4 in Figure 1 and showing thedetails of the automatic stop mechanism; Figure 5 is a perspective viewof the stop plunger guide plate;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the stop plunger retaining disc; andFigure 7 is a perspective view of one of the automatic stop plungersshown in Fig. 4.

In said figures, the bose or stand I hasv supported thereon the journalsupporting stand' i ards 2 and 3 terminating upwardly in the ball ingthe closure caps 8 and 1.

bearing Journal boxes 4 and 5 respectively hav- The journal box 4carries the rearwardly disposed ball bearing, comprising the inner andouter ball races 8- and 9 respectively and the balls I0,

affidare i which rotatably supports the rearwardly proiect- I ingtrunnion II of the flier frame' I2, and the i journal box 5 carries theforwardly disposed ball bearing, comprising the inner and outer lballraces I3 and I4 respectively and the balls I5, which rotatably supportsthe forwardly projecting trun.. nion I6 of the forward flier frame I 1,which i trunnion also conveniently provides `the winding j head I8.

The iiier frames I2 and I1 are conveniently` connected by the bars I8,20, 2l and 22 and are rigidly engaged therewith by the nuts 23 and 24 toform the flier 25 which includes the shaft supporting spider 26 mountedfor longitudinal adjustment on the frame connecting bars I9, 28, 2I and22 but limited in its rearward adjustment l by the collars `21.

The several layer wire dispensing spools 28, 29,

' 1 so and al are mounted ,to rotate 1n the nier 2s upon the shaft 32which extends through the trunnion II and is supported forwardly in the`spider 26, and said shaft 32 is provided with a i relative hard wearresisting inner tube 33 through i vwinding head I8.

which the core 34 is directed to and through the The flier 25 may beconvenientlyrotated by the grooved pulley 35 which islmounted on thetrunnion II, keyed thereto by the key 36 and retained thereon by thenut' 31 which is threadedly n engaged with the free end of saidtrunnion.

The winding head I8 which is best illustrated in the enlarged view inFig. 3,- has the bore 38 which is provided forwardly with th yinternalscrew threads 39 with which the rearwardly extending screw threadednipple 48 of the annular tting 4I having the forwardly projecting boss42 is threadedly engaged.

. is rotatably fitted on said boss 42 in screw threaded engagement'withthe internal screw threads 52 of said bushing ring 4-3, and which'hasthe radially extending flange 53 engaged with the shoulder 454 formed-bythe countersunk recess 55 in the .bore of saidannulus 58. The peripheralconvex cheek 86 of the annulus 58 serves to direct the severallayer'wires 46, 41, 48 and ,49 to the substantially conoidal windingnose 51 which lays them in coiled relation upon the core 34, while it isbeing progressed forwardly in a well known manner.

The layer wires 46, 41, 48 and 49 are thus drawn from their respectivespools 28, 29, 30 and 8l from which they are directed through thesuitably` hushed wire guides 58 and 89, thence through the guidecarrier'ring 82 which register with the passageways 63 through whichsaid wires 48, 41, 48 and 49 pass.

As said wires emerge through the outer cylinv drical Wall 0f the Windinghead I8, they pass through the annulus 64. which has the wear resistingliner 65 of a non-wearing substance such i as carboloy and said wiresare restrained thereby from centrifugal displacement as they pass overthe respective automatic stop plungers 86, 61, 68 and 69, from whichthey are directed through the bushings 45 and'over the annulus 50 to thewinding 'nose 51 over which they ride as they are coiled about the core34.

The winding nose 51 which may preferably be formed'of a hard substancesuch as carboloy is mounted for a limited axial yielding movement so cas to compensate for the yinequalities in tension of the core and layerwires being coiled thereon and has its reduced cylindrical rearwardextension 18 engaged in the socket 1I of the enlarged forward I terminalregion 12 ,of thetubular-nose carrying spindle 13 which extends throughthe sleeve 14 and terminates rearward of the ier frame I1.

The forward end region of the sleeve 14 is engaged with the fitting 4Iby the'screw threads 15 and terminates forwardly well within the outerend of the boss 42 of said fitting 4I, while the rear end region 16 isenlarged to provide the pocket 11 for'receptlon of the coiled spring 18and is provided with the external screw threads 19 with which the.spring retaining screw cap 88 is engaged. Y

Said sleeve 14 is maintained centered inits longitudinally adjustedposition 'in the bore 88 by the` annular ladjusting nut 8i which has itsforward conoidal end surface 82 fitted against a similarlycountersunkcooperating rear surface of the winding head I8; thus it will be seenthat the axial relative position of said sleeve 14 and winding head I8may be varied and when adjusted to the desired relation be rigidlymaintained adjusted by said nut 8I.

The winding nose carrier 13 is normally forced forwardly by the coiledspring 18 which bears, y

forwardly against the buffer ring 83 which enring 68, the ybushings 8lin the bushing circles said tubular nose carrier in engagement with the'shoulder 84 thereon.,

From the foregoing it will be winding nose 51, and its carrier 13, asillustrated in Fig. 3,' occupies a substantially medial position butmay, as tensions on the wires vary,l be forced forwardly by the coiledspring 18 until the buffer ring 83 engages the forward' wall 85 of thespring pocket 11, or said winding nose 51 be forced inward until theshoulder 85 formed by the enlarged forward terminal region 12 engagesthe forward'end 81 of the sleeve 14. Said nose carrier 13 is alsoprovided with the-lock ring 88 disposed in the groove 89 adjacent therear end of said carrier. y

Referring now to the automaticstop mechanism, the stop plungers 66, 61,68 and 69 are slidably mounted for radial movement in the slots 90, 9|,92 and 93 in the axially extended flange 94 of the annular plunger guideplate 95,

` which, asbest illustrated in4 Figs. 4 and 5, issecured to the tting 4|by the'screws 96, 91 and 98 which are extended through the countersunkapertures 99, and |0| in said plate 95, and

lsaid plungers 66, 61, 68 and 69 are'retained in their respective slots90, -9|, 92 and 93 by the plunger retaining disc |02, see Figs. 3 and 6.

As is best illustrated in Figs. 4 and '7, the automatic stop plungers66, 61, 68 and 69 are respectively provided with the stop lugs |03, |04,

obvious that the for the variance inn tension of both the core and thelayer wires that said layer wires are laid in uniformly coiled vrelationabout the core t'o producecontinuously progressed fabricated flexible-shaftingsubstantially free from'ilaws or in-l equalities.

Furthermore/'the automatic stop mechanism.

comprising the. centrifugally actuated plungers which are normallyAmaintained retracted by the progressing layer wires -is effective tocontrol the actuation of the machine, for should any of the |05 and |06,which cooperate with the flange 94 to limit their outward thrust andthereby to prevent them from accidentally falling out', and saidplungers may be provided with the wear resisting tips |01, |08, |09 and||0 Arespectively having the wire guiding grooves ||I, ||2, ||3 and|I4.Y

As best illustrated in Fig. 4, the stop plungers 66, 61, 68 and 69 areencircledby the collector ring I|5 which is thus supported by the angleplatel I6 whose foot I1 is secured to the bracket ||8 by the stud bolts||9 and |20 with the interposed insulation pads |2|, |22 and |23, andsaid ring ||5, which is securedto the angle'plate ||6 Aby the screws|24, |25, and |26, serves', in event of breakage of any of the layerwires 46, 41, 48 and 49, as a sliding contact for the individual plungerthus released by said broken layer wire l i' and is centrifugally shotoutward to slidably engage said ring ||5 and thereby cause through theelectrically connected wire |21 stoppage of the motive power whichactuates the flier 25 comprising the connected iiier frames vI2 and |1,inl

a well known manner. e

It may here be noted that as tensions on the spools vary or increase asthe tension in the core and layer wires vary, the nose piece will bedepressed a greater or lesser amount. lAs the plunger retaining layerwires break, its respective 'plunger will be centrifugaliy' shot forwardto engage the collector ring which is insulated from the-bed orsupporting frame of the machine and is electrically connected to asolenoid, the other side of which is grounded to said bed or support-;ing! frame, suiilcient current being introduced into the circuit tovoperate such solenoid which may be connected to actuatey the switch andthereby shut oil. the power that actuates the spool carrying ier in anobvious manner, wherea wire guiding flier head, through which a core maybe passed, and in Awhich is mounted for relative longitudinal movement atubular spindle terminating in a nose arranged to direct a plurality oflayer wires on to said core while moving therethrough, and a spring-tending to force said spindle forward, againstl said layer wires whichare free to slide-thereover.

tensions increase,the nosepiece is depressed, thus compressing thespring so that as the nose is forced rearwardly by the` increasingtensions, the force required to wedge or draw the layer wires downintoposition against the core is increased. The nose piece therefore may besaid tobe floating to the extent that it is constantly'moving 'back andforth to, balance existing stresses and tensions incident ktofabrication of the layers on the core.

The so termedl floating nose, therefore, has desirable advantages inthat it enables limitation.

of the forward pressure and serves as an indicator to the operator thatthe machine is functioning properly and producing good' shafting. Myinvention. is advantageous in' that the yieldingly mounted winding noseso`compeisates 2. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with awire guiding winding head having a bore through which a core may beprogressed forwardly, atubular spindle extending through said. boreguiding said core, mounted Vfor axial.

movement therein and terminating forwardly in a winding nose whoseforwardfree face is arranged to direct a plurality of layer wires incoiled relation about said core, and means tending to yieldingly forcesaid spindle forwardly.

3. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with a wire guidingwinding head hav-ing a bore through which a core may be progressedforwardly, a tubular spindle 'extending through said bore and throughwhich said core is dir :ted and which is mounted for a limited slightaxial move.

ment vtherein and terminating forwardly in a conoidalwinding nosearranged to freely directi a plurality of layer wires into coiledrelation about said core, and spring means tending to urge saidspindlenforwardly.

4. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with a wire guidingwinding head having an axial bore through which a shaft core may b eprogressed forwardly and having a plurality of passageways through whichlayer wires may be directed, an axially adjustable sleeve extended"through said bore, a tubular spindle slidably mountedl to reciprocate insaid sleeve and teriminating in a nose arranged to direct a plurality oflayer wires into coiled relation about said core, and unincumbered meanstending to free- -ly urge said spindle forwardly wherebyjto lay saidlayer wires uniformly on said core.

7 V 5. A exible shaft fabricating machine provided with a wire guidingWinding head having an l axial bore through which a shaft core may beprogressed forwardly and having a plurality of 1 passageways throughwhich layer wires may be directed, an axially adjustable sleeve.extended through said bore, and including an enlargement i `affording apocket, a tubular spindle slidably mounted to reciprocate in said sleeveand terminating forwardly in an enlargement providing a shouldercooperative with` the forward end of said sleeve to limit its rearwardmovement therejacent the forward region of said head, and means on saidhead arranged to circularly space ing an axially curved'outer surfacedisposed. ad- I a plurality of layer wires which are-drawn over l ,saidinner and outer surfaces as they travel to said nose.

9. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with a `wire windinghead, a reciprocatory hollow spindle terminating forwardly in a wirewinding nose having an unincumbered forward surface, means arranged tolimit the reciprocatory movement of said spindle and nose, and

in and also providing as ocket arranged to receive a replaceable wearresisting nosepiece arranged to f freely direct a plurality of layerwires into superposed coiled relation about said core, and a coiledspring enclosed in said pocket and tending to i force said spindle andits nosepiece forwardly.

6. A exible shaft fabricating machine prol vided with a wire windinghead through which a core may be progressed, a sleeve extended therelthrough, a tubular spindle slidably mounted to reciprocate in saidsleeveand terminating in a;

Iinto coiled relation about said core, yielding means tending to forcesaid spindle forwardly,

which the layer wires are free to pass, an annulus IV ofwear resistingmaterial disposed between said wire guide and said nose, over which saidwires are passed to said nose.

7. A iiexi-bleshft fabricating machine' provided with a wire windingheadthrough which a l core may be progressed, a sleeve extendedtherethrough, a tubular spindle 'slidably mounted to reciprocate in saidsleeve and terminating in a ing material disposed between the forwardwire guide and said nose, over which said wires are i passed to saidnose.

8. `A flexible shaft;I fabricating machine provided with a wire windinghead through which a core may be progressed, a tubular spindle extendedthrough saidVA head and mounted for limited reciprocation therein, andhaving a forwardly A extended nose arranged to direct a plurality of 1layer wires into coiled relation about said core,

yielding means tending to force said spindle fornose arranged to directaplurality of layer wires a wire guide secured to said head and having aplurality of vcircularly spaced apertures throughnose arranged to directa plurality of layer wires into coiled relation about said core,yielding means 'tending to force said spindle forwardly, Wire guidesdisposed closely adjacentv each end of said head and respectively havinga plurality of circularly spaced apertures through which the i layerwires may pass, anannulus of wear resistwardly, an annular wire guidehavingan axially curved inner surface disposed adjacent the rear regionof said head, an annular wire guide havl 'working axial positions.

V Number yielding means tending to force said spindle forwardly tomaintain a uniform tension between said nose and the wires passingthereover.

10. 'A flexible shaft fabricating machineprovided with a-rotatable wirewinding head, an a'x- Y ially adjustable sleeve extended throughfsaidhead, a .reciprocatory tubular ,spindle mounted to longitudinallyreciprocate in said sleeve and tera wire guiding. nosel a springdisposed in-said pocket tending to force said nose forwardly intotensional contact with the wires freely. passing thereover. and meansarranged to retain said spring in said pocket.

12. lA flexible shaftfabricating machine having a winding head throughwhich a core and layer wires are directed, a winding nose mountf ingfree to reciprocate in said head and yieldingly forced forwardly againstthe layer wires passing over the forward surface 'of said nose to saidcore,

said layer wires being lthe sole restraint of the forward thrust of saidwinding nose Wim/IER P. UHLER.

l vmiFEmiNcEs clTEn .The following references are of record in the illeof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS in its normal Name Date 16,452 f Robinson Jan. 20,1857 276,317 l Wiswell` Apr.24, 1883 y 1,896,084 Hill Feb. 7, '19331,934,026V Angell et al Nov. 7, 1933 2,222,505 Ford et al Nov. 19, 19402,361,509

Steuber Oct. 31, 1944

